The Health and Safety Executive divides gas pipework at the emergency control: the gas industry’s pipeline rules cover pipes supplying gas to premises, while installation pipework from the meter to the appliance falls under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

Where responsibility changes

HSE’s summary of the legislation explains that the Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996 cover pipes supplying gas to premises, meaning transmission pipes, distribution mains and service pipes, but exclude anything downstream of an emergency control, such as installation pipework, meters and other fittings, which the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 cover. HSE’s landlord guidance says installation pipework runs from the meter to the appliance, and that maintenance from the meter to the external service pipework is not a landlord’s responsibility but the pipeline operator’s. The 1998 Regulations are marked as applying in England, Wales and Scotland; Northern Ireland has its own 2004 Regulations.

Who looks after installation pipework

HSE says a landlord must ensure installation pipework is maintained in a safe condition, normally through regular inspections and any necessary repairs, and that this duty is distinct from keeping gas safety records. The duty is in regulation 36(2) of the 1998 Regulations. HSE adds that all maintenance checks and repairs must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and that the tenancy contract should allow the landlord access for this work, without force.

HSE says landlords are responsible for repairs needed through general wear and tear, that the tenancy agreement should say who pays for damage caused by a tenant, and that there is no formal requirement to keep maintenance records, although a landlord must be able to show that pipework has been maintained.

What the annual check covers

HSE stresses that installation pipework is not covered by the annual gas safety check. It recommends that when a check is requested, the engineer is asked to test the whole system for soundness, including installation pipework, and to examine the pipework visually as far as is reasonably practicable. It also recommends an examination if there is damage or a suspected leak, and a test and inspection when tenants leave.

Materials and workmanship

Regulation 5 of the 1998 Regulations says nobody may install a gas fitting unless every part is of good construction and sound material, of adequate strength and size to secure safety and of a type appropriate for the gas. Pipe or fittings made of lead or lead alloy may not be installed in a building for gas supply, and non-metallic pipe is prohibited unless it is connected to a readily movable flueless appliance or is a pipe entering the building with the part inside placed in a metallic sheath. Work must follow appropriate standards and prevent danger.

Testing and safe working

Regulation 6 requires precautions when gas could be released and says that anyone who carries out work that might affect gas tightness must immediately test the installation for gas tightness at least as far as the nearest valves upstream and downstream. Disconnected pipe outlets must be sealed with an appropriate fitting, and incomplete gasways must not be left unattended unless sealed or otherwise safe.

Connecting the boiler

Regulation 26 says a flued domestic gas appliance must be connected to the gas supply by a permanently fixed rigid pipe, and that an appliance must have a means of shutting off gas at its inlet unless that is not reasonably practicable. After work on an appliance, the installer must examine the flue, the supply of combustion air, the operating pressure or heat input, or where that is not practicable the combustion performance, and the appliance’s safe operation.

Citizens Advice adds a point about meters: a household cannot legally move a meter itself, and usually the supplier owns it and must be asked to move it.

FAQs

Does the annual gas safety check include the pipework?

HSE says it does not, and recommends asking the engineer to test the whole system for soundness and examine the pipework.

Who is responsible for the pipe outside the property?

HSE says maintenance from the meter to the external service pipework is the pipeline operator’s responsibility, not a landlord’s.

Can a householder move a gas meter?

Citizens Advice says moving a meter oneself is illegal. The meter is usually owned by the supplier, which has to be asked to move it, and a network operator may do the work if the supplier cannot.

Does this apply in Northern Ireland?

No. Northern Ireland has its own Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 2004.

Bottom line

In Great Britain, the network looks after gas pipes up to the emergency control, while the pipework that feeds the boiler is governed by the 1998 Regulations, with landlords required to keep it in a safe condition. Installers must use suitable materials, test for gas tightness after work and connect the boiler with a rigid pipe and an isolation point. This is general information, not advice on any specific installation; a Gas Safe registered engineer can assess a particular system.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 21 September 2026:

• Health and Safety Executive, “Summary of legislation interfacing with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998”
• Health and Safety Executive, “Maintenance – gas pipework”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 5: Materials and workmanship”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 6: General safety precautions”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 26: Gas appliances – safety precautions”
• Citizens Advice, “Move your gas or electricity meter”

Related guides

Best Boiler Deals is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write. This article is general information, not regulated advice on any specific installation — always confirm the details with a Gas Safe registered engineer.